These CPTSD Treatments Don't Work. HERE's What Does

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When it comes to Complex PTSD, research has shown almost no definitive pattern of effectiveness associated with any particular approach to treatment. Thousands of practitioners and agencies that claim that they treat the effects of childhood trauma, but do their approaches work? In this video I go through some of the popular treatments available, and tell you what we know about them.
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[annabelsmith]

One of the worst things about therapy not working is the feeling that it must be your fault. So good to hear someone say so emphatically “it doesn’t work”

[dotsyjmaher]

I tried conventional therapy and the woman might as well have driven me to the bridge....
When I finally decided I could not survive her methods..I told her I was just going to go it alone because she was really harming me...
I could not start with a new therapist because I was exhausted.
As I got up to leave...this HORRIBLE woman said.."Well... then you will be sick the rest of your life.."
I was HORRIFIED and should have reported her..but I was also dealing with the aftermath of Katrina/Rita..
BUT..
I SCREAMED AT HER...
"I DON'T CONSIDER MYSELF SICK...I CONSIDER MYSELF INJURED BY A REALLY SICK MOTHER AND FAMILY MEMBERS WHO JOINED IN...I AM BASICALLY AN AMPUTEE...I HAD MY CHILDHOOD AMPUTATED..AND MY TEEN YEARS AND EARLY ADULTHOOD CRIPPLED.." AND then told her she was a DANGEROUS therapist and should stop doing it.

[talia]

You are right about all of it. Years of therapy made my life much worse. I stopped and since I follow your advice. I am much better now, but I isolate. I am afraid of people. At least, I am off pills and I sleep. Thank you

[Belovedkyle]

I feel this could be true for physical illness too in regards to medications. We are treating symptoms not root causes.

[jimparker]

Traditional therapy (for me) was like using over-the-counter Cortisone lotion on mosquito bites. It makes the itch go away--but it doesn't keep the mosquitoes from biting me. Therapists showed me some clever tricks for making (the itch) stop, but the bugs still keep biting. Sorry about the bug metaphor but I don't want to discuss my childhood trauma on a youtube page. The stuff I'm learning from Anna Runkle about CPTSD is really helping me. Traditional therapists wanted me to keep re-living trauma, or hitting pillows when I was angry with (the itch). Twelve-step work re-awakened some of my childhood nightmares and traditional therapy would call that a win. Unlike the therapists, my best mentors in the 12 step world are correctly counseling me to avoid getting immersed in the past, especially childhood trauma, and realize that (as Anna says) awful things in the past cannot hurt a mature man in the same way it did a frightened kid. I can only control what I do today. Hats off to Anna!

[annamaria]

I have adapted your daily practice. I write my fears and resentments on toilet paper. After my 20 minutes of meditation, I flush the fears away down the toilet!
This works for me, Anna x

[rayanddenisemckinney]

Thank you, Anna. I've made myself a daily checklist to keep on track w self-care, otherwise everything and everyone else comes first and I wind up feeling like poo. Simple things like brushing my teeth, conditioning my hair, taking my vitamins, eating well, and three areas or more of gratitude each day. To check off things feels like an accomplishment and helps me stay regulated.

[aprilshands]

I've been saying this very thing for 20 years now that meds don't work but only numb us more and leave us paralyzed !! Thank you for all the wonderful work you do on all of our behalf !!

[mindfulmatty]

I have been a licensed therapist for 20 years as well as C-PTSD survivor. Before I became a therapist, I was in talk therapy for 20 years and found little relief, and being constantly dysregulated and hypervigilant. I did EMDR but it did not really work with C-PTSD. Medication did not help much so I agree that a more interdisciplinary and holistic approach is needed. I personally use hypnosis, NLP, and energy medicine (tapping-EFT and Reiki), and work with client's lifestyle (including diet) and recommend art, yoga (especially yoga Nidra), nature, journaling, connecting with loving and nurturing people, and accepting that relationship challenges are real for all of us. I find that loud noise is very triggering. Many times clients come to me as they are tired of being on medication. They also were re-traumatized by therapists who are not properly trained in trauma. Meditation has saved my life and I have been doing it for 20 years. iI practice is Art of Living and it's based on the mantra. Would love to connect. I am enjoying your videos. I am working on videos myself. I love Bessel Van Der Kolk and Pete Walker, Complex PTSD. Blessings.

[hedgiegal]

I have done EMDR and it was very helpful. It seemed to "dissolve" the emotional dysregulation behind my worst traumas

[soniafaye]

Hearing it said -
It’s an injury to the brain -
still baffles me and brings tears to my eyes.

Our brains are the next frontier, and as with the cosmos we continually learn more about them as time goes on and we continue to seek knowledge about the big how and why of it all, we CAN heal and anything is possible ( cue faith healer-ugh)
… but this is a private process, and is sadly where innocent people get hoodwinked by conartists and predators.
Some of us have different brains, and are therefore neurodiverse.
I’m constantly thinking about these huge shifts in culture and our understanding of evolution, as I work toward my own human revolution ( healing and meditation and chanting)

[harrietthespy]

EMDR, IFS and psychodynamic therapy is a miraculous combination! It takes time and you’re worth it!

[IrenaZilberman]

Thank you for exploring this. I hated CBT and generic talk therapy. I have been in Somatic Experiencing therapy for a couple of years - and it is absolutely incredible and works directly with nervous system regulation as well as attachment trauma within the therapeutic relationship. Also wanted to add that meditation can be dangerous for trauma in some cases, it can bring up memories and emotional flooding.

[FriendofDorothy]

Re: Dancing among the activities that can help. Been there/done that, but one of the symptoms (I believe) of my C-PTSD was extreme self-consciousness as well as mistrust of others in group or public situations. Thus before and during weekend dancing I drank to numb that. The dancing allowed escape and very joyful expression but my over-use of alcohol led people to believe I was alcoholic even though I only drank on weekends and did not actually even like alcohol. Always took cabs or Lyft so thank god did not drive on booze after a single DUI in 1981. Instead of experiencing the pain and anxiety of the c-PTSD I spent years feeling guilt over my drinking. (Yes, some people need to get well oiled before hitting a dance floor!) The alcohol and endorphins of the dancing proved an addictive combination. It was a wondrous, even transcendent experience, particularly since I am a musician and songwriter, but I finally hit bottom in 2016 due to a financial crisis. I did got to a few AA meetings, hated it, but God answered my prayer anyway by making sure I did not have the $$ for this weekly weekend ritual. It was sort of a" tough love" move on God's part and I really was in crisis for weeks after I stopped the drinking but I did meditate and pray my way through it. Sober now 5 years; it's very anti-climactic but I love it and my finances have gradually improved. To be quite honest if I had not had the alcohol when younger I would not have ventured out to be around other people, that's why it's so seductive. After stopping the alcohol I lost weight, had more $$, and felt better about myself. AA insists you identify as alcoholic. I don't believe I was so much alcoholic (it could've been popping a pill or whatever) as suffering from C-PTSD and social anxiety. I am one of those "black sheep of the family" people and was repeatedly told I was "born backwards and been backwards ever since" by my mother (because I was a breech birth)...

[ChristianKoehler]

I have started to administer EMDR on myself. Yes, that's possible. So far it is tremendously helpful against my CPTSD symptoms (both parents are alcoholics).

Backstory: A friend recently became a therapist and coach. She first told me about EMDR. She was hesitant to do that for me because we are close friends, but I got interested and read about the topic.

She was interested in buying an EMDR light bar, but these things are quite expensive (800 €). I am into hobby electronics and I figured out I can build such a thing from parts that are less than 50€.

Once I had it working, I decided to give it a shot for myself.
I'll probably build another light bar for her and keep the (somewhat clunky) first one for myself.

Thank you for your videos, greetings from Berlin.

[velvetvoiceartist]

Thank you so much for sharing this.🙏🏽 Bessel Van der Kolk's, The Body Keeps the Score, has been my "Holy Bible" of recovery. I was seeking help for an adult trauma, when I came to realize I had major cptsd. I have experienced more trauma attempting to get help from traditional talk therapy.😔 Blamed, shamed, belittled, judged... the list goes on. My insurance did not cover anything outside of traditional talk therapy. I felt stuck and alone... again.🤦🏽‍♀️ I deepened my research on cptsd and anything I could do on my own, I have. Exercise has always been a huge benefit for me, but due to a back injury, I had to learn how to exercise differently. Various deep breathing techniques have been especially helpful. This is an important tool to help me reregulate when triggered around others. Specific types of music helps me to connect to a sense of safety and calm. I have been writing followed by rest for years, never knowing it was a technique, but it worked. Watching your videos feels like sitting down for tea with a friend being validated, affirmed, and understood for the first time. Bless you!🙏🏽💜

[bedtimeclub]

I have adult onset childhood PTSD, I had been diagnosed with anxiety disorder at 20 & depression at 22. Here I am weaning off medication at 48! I'm sorry to hear about your friend, performing CPR is traumatic...I performed CPR on my father, though he didn't revive & passed away before my eyes.
Flash forward 5 years & I'm now a nurse. I find being busy in service to others really helps my CPTD. The only thing I find stressful about working in healthcare is that I was given the role of 'helper' as a child, my mother was mentally ill. Perhaps I've flipped the script of childhood somewhat, but I do think my ability to help others stems from CPTSD..

[traumabeauty]

Glad that finally someone is honest about so called therapy. Also watch healing vids, but use wisdom . This channel is helping me.

[echase]

Antidepressants and mood stabilizers can also cause catastrophic weight gain leading to diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, etc.

[kayda]

It's official, watching these videos has helped confirm my choice to switch from a biology major to a psychology major!